WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights shot 57.1% from the field, en route to an 82-62 victory over Monmouth, on Monday night in Boylan Gym. The Hawks, who fall to 11-14 overall and 6-7 in the Northeast Conference, had their seven-game home win streak snapped, while FDU improves to 13-11 overall and 8-5 in the NEC.
Monmouth jumped out to a 5-2 lead early, capped by a Jhamar Youngblood three-pointer, and held a 24-22 with 10:45 remaining on a Marques Alston trey from the wing. The Knights rattled off the next six points to grab a 28-24 lead, and pushed the advantage to 34-28 on Manny Ubilla's third three of the half at 6:05.
FDU made the advantage 12 points, 42-30, with 3:09 remaining in the half, as the Hawks went scoreless for 3:30, before a Youngblood layup made the score 42-32 with 1:26 showing. Cameron Tyler's drive with 23 ticks left gave the Knights a 46-32 cushion at the break.
The Knights scored the first nine points out of the locker room to take a 55-32 lead with 16:25 left, as Monmouth missed its first seven shots out of the break. The Hawks, who did not score in the first 4:22 of the second stanza, got on the scoreboard after a Youngblood fast break layup to cut the lead to 55-34.
FDU pushed the edge to 61-38 with 12:57 showing when Andre Harris connected on a short jump shot, but MU scored the next five points, behind a John Bunch hoop and a Delic top of the key trifecta, making the score 61-43, one minute later.
Trailing 66-43 with 10:55 showing, the Hawks rattled off a 10-0 spurt in 2:25, to trim the lead to 66-53 after a Whitney Coleman three-pointer. A Delic layup after an FDU turnover pulled MU to within 11, 68-57, with 7:07 remaining, but the Knights netted the next five points to regain a 73-57 edge.
Monmouth pulled to within 75-62 after Bunch's three-point play with 3:45 left, but got no closer, as the Knights held on for the 84?71 victory.
Four Knights scored in double figures, as Harris poured in a game-high 24 points, while grabbing seven rebounds and blocking five shots. Ubilla and Peeples each added 19 points, while Tyler added 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Youngblood tied a career-high with 20 points, while Bunch and Delic added 13 points apiece. Alston added 11 points, as the Hawks connected on 41.3% from the floor.
Monmouth returns to action on Thursday night, when the Hawks host league-leader Central Connecticut State at 7 p.m.
